Magic was in the air this morning as I boarded my bus, then my ferry, then into my office, up the elevator, and into my group. A smile crossed my face each and every time I passed someone, and a soft but determined "Go Hawks" was uttered. Every tee shirt, hat and jersey I saw, every friend that posted... Im not into football, but look at my blue and green roses, check out my shirt, we're having an office party.
Even the manager that moved here from Denver sported a Seahawks shirt. "when in Rome.." She'd say.
Im not a football fan either. Ive not been much into professional sports excepting MLS soccer, and major events involving professionals such as the World Cup, and the Olympics for well over a decade.
The last time I cared at all about an NFL game of any kind was when Steve Young was in the Superbowl. That was a long long time ago.
Surprised? Those of you following me on Facebook may be, because Ive been loud and proud about my Seahawks for oh, maybe a month now.
In 1997, John Stockton sent the Utah Jazz to the NBA finals. They lost, but they came back in 1998, and we thought they had it, but they lost it again. No one ever expected the Utah Jazz to be as good as they were. A team from Utah couldn't possibly be that awesome. But they were, and it was magic that changed a community, and brought people together. Even though they lost again the second time, they always were the true champions in my heart.
In the summer of 1998, I got on a plane and flew to France. The World cup was happening at that time IN FRANCE. I liked soccer, but i didn't really "get it" until I watched World Cup games with my French family night after night, and finally "saw" on home turf, on a tiny TV that was being watched by 200 french campers and that magical moment when the beloved Zezou, and team pulled off a miracle and beat Brazil to win the World Cup.
For a small moment, just as I had seen in Utah, just as I've seen with multiple Olympics, but especially 2002 (because I was there), just as I see now magic descended and that time, an entire nation was changed, united in brotherhood, and oneness.
As I worked get my Bachelors degree in French about a decade after that magical summer, that moment in time stood out in my head. So I did a paper on it. On the belief the French had had that that moment would unite them and end the infighting between the "French" French and "Les Beurres" immigrant, Muslim French families.
It did for a time, but it didn't last, because it was only a starting point, not a magic bullet. The same is true for any of these big events that bring us together for a moment, and give us such joy and community. They are great, and we never forget them, but permanent change and unity is up to us. I think girls camp was like that for me with the young women and leaders when I was growing up, eventually clicks came back, and it made me sad, but for a time we were all friends and it was great
I love that feeling, and I jump on every chance to be a part of those moments, because the more of them I can have in this life the happier I feel.
Seattle is a dark and depressing place in the winter, but right now you wouldn't know that by looking on any of our faces, or talking to us. The mood has lifted, and we are one, or 12, you choose.
I hope Seattle wins Sunday, because they are my team and this is my city. I hope they win because our people and economy need the lift. I hope we win because I think we have a deserving team full of highly talented players that play and win as a team, not just one big star everyone thinks is amazing. We have many amazings.
I hope we win because we never have before, and we might not get another chance for a long long time again.
But win or loose, we already have won. Win or loose, we got here and that's quite a miracle, two years ago we wouldn't have dreamed it.
But win or loose, we already have something far better than a ring, or a title, we have that magic, that community, that oneness, that love.
We wear our jerseys, and our shirts, and our twelves and we say Go Hawks! and it means "Hello friend, I love you, I love our home. Have hope. Believe. Miracles can happen, magic can happen.
I hope my friends in Denver are experiencing this same thing, I hope, that even though they frequent the Super Bowl more than us, that they feel that and recognize how special that feeling of togetherness is.
If they have, then they too have one. As Pierre De Corbetain, founder of the modern Olympics said, "The important thing is not to win, but to take part... The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well... To build these precepts is to build a more generous humanity"
I love, and live by those words, its what the Olympic games, World Cups, 1997/8 NBA championships and 2014 Super Bowl mean to me. Its why I spent money on a jersey, but you don't have to spend a dime to feel it, to be a part of it, you just have to let that magic into your heart. Just say it! GO HAWKS!!
If you cant do that for the Super Bowl, try it a few days later for the Olympics, let Go USA! Or wherever you live feel your heart, but remember to love your enemies, and you'll get ever more magic from a go World!
If the Winter Olympics are too cold to thaw your frozen heart, summer will give you one more chance to heat it up, with the 2014 world cup in Brazil in June/July.
No matter where you are, or who you root for, may that peace, love, and unity feel your heart. I think we all long for that, to be a part of something, to feel united, and to have hope in things that seem unlikely, especially these days. So one more time, just for you, remember what it really means Go Hawks!!!
Even the manager that moved here from Denver sported a Seahawks shirt. "when in Rome.." She'd say.
Im not a football fan either. Ive not been much into professional sports excepting MLS soccer, and major events involving professionals such as the World Cup, and the Olympics for well over a decade.
The last time I cared at all about an NFL game of any kind was when Steve Young was in the Superbowl. That was a long long time ago.
Surprised? Those of you following me on Facebook may be, because Ive been loud and proud about my Seahawks for oh, maybe a month now.
In 1997, John Stockton sent the Utah Jazz to the NBA finals. They lost, but they came back in 1998, and we thought they had it, but they lost it again. No one ever expected the Utah Jazz to be as good as they were. A team from Utah couldn't possibly be that awesome. But they were, and it was magic that changed a community, and brought people together. Even though they lost again the second time, they always were the true champions in my heart.
In the summer of 1998, I got on a plane and flew to France. The World cup was happening at that time IN FRANCE. I liked soccer, but i didn't really "get it" until I watched World Cup games with my French family night after night, and finally "saw" on home turf, on a tiny TV that was being watched by 200 french campers and that magical moment when the beloved Zezou, and team pulled off a miracle and beat Brazil to win the World Cup.
For a small moment, just as I had seen in Utah, just as I've seen with multiple Olympics, but especially 2002 (because I was there), just as I see now magic descended and that time, an entire nation was changed, united in brotherhood, and oneness.
As I worked get my Bachelors degree in French about a decade after that magical summer, that moment in time stood out in my head. So I did a paper on it. On the belief the French had had that that moment would unite them and end the infighting between the "French" French and "Les Beurres" immigrant, Muslim French families.
It did for a time, but it didn't last, because it was only a starting point, not a magic bullet. The same is true for any of these big events that bring us together for a moment, and give us such joy and community. They are great, and we never forget them, but permanent change and unity is up to us. I think girls camp was like that for me with the young women and leaders when I was growing up, eventually clicks came back, and it made me sad, but for a time we were all friends and it was great
I love that feeling, and I jump on every chance to be a part of those moments, because the more of them I can have in this life the happier I feel.
Seattle is a dark and depressing place in the winter, but right now you wouldn't know that by looking on any of our faces, or talking to us. The mood has lifted, and we are one, or 12, you choose.
I hope Seattle wins Sunday, because they are my team and this is my city. I hope they win because our people and economy need the lift. I hope we win because I think we have a deserving team full of highly talented players that play and win as a team, not just one big star everyone thinks is amazing. We have many amazings.
I hope we win because we never have before, and we might not get another chance for a long long time again.
But win or loose, we already have won. Win or loose, we got here and that's quite a miracle, two years ago we wouldn't have dreamed it.
But win or loose, we already have something far better than a ring, or a title, we have that magic, that community, that oneness, that love.
We wear our jerseys, and our shirts, and our twelves and we say Go Hawks! and it means "Hello friend, I love you, I love our home. Have hope. Believe. Miracles can happen, magic can happen.
I hope my friends in Denver are experiencing this same thing, I hope, that even though they frequent the Super Bowl more than us, that they feel that and recognize how special that feeling of togetherness is.
If they have, then they too have one. As Pierre De Corbetain, founder of the modern Olympics said, "The important thing is not to win, but to take part... The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well... To build these precepts is to build a more generous humanity"
I love, and live by those words, its what the Olympic games, World Cups, 1997/8 NBA championships and 2014 Super Bowl mean to me. Its why I spent money on a jersey, but you don't have to spend a dime to feel it, to be a part of it, you just have to let that magic into your heart. Just say it! GO HAWKS!!
If you cant do that for the Super Bowl, try it a few days later for the Olympics, let Go USA! Or wherever you live feel your heart, but remember to love your enemies, and you'll get ever more magic from a go World!
If the Winter Olympics are too cold to thaw your frozen heart, summer will give you one more chance to heat it up, with the 2014 world cup in Brazil in June/July.
No matter where you are, or who you root for, may that peace, love, and unity feel your heart. I think we all long for that, to be a part of something, to feel united, and to have hope in things that seem unlikely, especially these days. So one more time, just for you, remember what it really means Go Hawks!!!
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